Ernie Banks (2,000 @ $9.50)

Etopps corrects its past omission of not having any Chicago Cubs players included in the classics series and sets itself in position for a popular card to promote at the National/eCon 3.0 convention in Chicago by including Ernie Banks in the classics supplement. In contrast to the past two IPOs, Maris and Mattingly, Banks earned classics credentials by having a hall-of-fame career with 512 career home runs and 2,583 hits. However, eTopps returns to its past sins by doubling the maximum IPO from the 1,000 last week for Mattingly. I would love to finish by saying "Let’s Buy Two," but with the high IPO maximum print run, the potential for high holdbacks for National convention promotions, and Banks’ modest popularity among collectors, I am going to wait a few weeks to buy this one for my collection. I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Bill Mazeroski - Maz Walks Off With World Series (1,000 @ $9.50)

October 13, 1960. Collectors that decide not to purchase all of the baseball classic events cards could complete a pretty nice subset of historic postseason homeruns, including Bobby Thomson’s homer to give the Giants the 1951 pennant, Yogi Berra’s 1947 first pinch-hit World Series home run, and Carleton Fisk’s game-winning 1975 World Series home run plus the Mazeroski, Kirk Gibson, and Reggie Jackson World Series home run cards issued this week. (I’m expecting Joe Carter’s and Kirby Puckett’s game-winning World Series home runs in the next couple of weeks). Maz’s home run in the ninth-inning of the seventh game of the 1960 World Series led the Pirates to beat the Yankees, and was the first Series-concluding home run ever. But Mazeroski had a hall-of-fame career beyond the home run for which he is most famous. He had over 2,000 hits and was one of the best defensive second basemen to play. This represents another deserving World Series home run, but I expect that Mazeroski does not have a strong following among younger collectors and will join the earlier historic home run cards at a sub-IPO price. I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Bob Gibson - Sees Red, Fans W.S. Record 17 Batters (1,000 @ $9.50)

October 2, 1968. Facing the Tigers’ Denny McClain, who like Gibson had won 22 games in the regular season, Bob Gibson led the Cardinals to a victory in the first game of the World Series with a complete game shutout. Along the way, he struck out a record 17 batters, breaking Sandy Koufax’s record of 15. His victims included hall of famers Eddie Mathews and Al Kaline. However, the Tigers came back to win the Series in game 7. Gibson is considered by many to be one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball history, winning 251 games with 174 losses. In addition to 1968, Gibson had four other seasons with at least 20 wins. Gibson’s regular classic card had 4,000 issued, and a recent 7 day average of $3.50. I would expect this classic Gibson event card to hold a price twice that high, but based on the performance of other classic event cards not to exceed IPO price. I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Reggie Jackson - Mr. October Strikes Thrice (1,000 @ $9.50)

October 18, 1977. Reggie Jackson earned the nickname Mr. October largely by hitting 10 home runs in 27 World Series games. However, in game six of the 1977 Series (after having already hit single home runs in game four and five), Jackson outdid himself. He hit a two-run homer in the fourth, another two-run homer in the fifth, and a final solo homer in the eighth. The Yankees won the Series against the Dodgers, and Jackson had five home runs in the Series and four home runs in four official at bats (he had walked in the second inning). Prior to Jackson, only Babe Ruth had hit three home runs in a World Series game (Ruth did it in both the 1926 and 1928 World Series). Jackson’s regular classic card, with 4,000 issued in 2002, has a recent 7-day average of about $3.00. This card will have a premium above that price, but likely will sink below IPO price. I recommend DO NOT buy this card at IPO.

Kirk Gibson - Walk-Off Blast Powers L.A. Past Oakland (1,000 @ $9.50)

October 15, 1988. The year after helping the Tigers win the AL east division and signing with the Dodgers as a free agent, Gibson hit one of the most dramatic home runs in World Series history. Gibson had injured both legs and sat out game 1 against the A’s. The A’s relief star Dennis Eckersley was pitching in the ninth inning with a 4 to 3 lead and a runner on first, and the Dodgers appeared to have lost. Throughout the game the TV commentators had indicated that Gibson was not able to play and showed pictures of him holding a bat apparently helplessly, though there were some hints of what was to come when he went into the clubhouse tunnel to practice swinging. Tommy Lasorda made a gutsy call to have Gibson pinch hit even though he was too disabled to be able to run the bases if he should do anything other than receive a base on balls or hit a home run. Lasorda’s choice seemed ill fated as Eckersley got two strikes and Gibson looked awkward at the plate. But on the third pitch Gibson amazingly hit a homer to right field and stumbled around the bases while pumping his fists for millions of disbelieving television viewers. Other than his dramatic home run, Gibson was a quality but not hall of fame caliber player, winning the 1988 NL MVP but never playing in an all-star game (turning down team manager selections twice). Although other classic events may be more significant, this is a more recent home run moment that was particularly telegenic, and Gibson has a core of fans. Thus, I think this card may have a small chance of holding IPO price. Thus, I give it a WEAK BUY recommendation.